Improvement in apparatus foe hand and yoke-lifting



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IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR HAND AND YOKE-LIE'TING.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, MORRIS'MATTSON, of the city of New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Apparatus for Hand and Yoke-Lifting, to increase strength and improve the health; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', and of its mode or manner of operation, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and niaking a part of this specification. v

My invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a new and improved apparatus, suitable for hand and yoke-lifting, or for either, which can be used by the individual desiring to employ the same, without any change in his or lher ordinary dress or apparel, and which can be moved from place to place as desired, the apparatus not having or needing to have any fixed connection with the floor or building.

Figure; is a general perspective View ofthe apparatus and its fixed parts.

` Figure 2 isa representation of the yoke and its connections for yoke-lifting.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the lifting-attachments of fig. 1.

Figure 4 shows the apparatus as used in hand-lifting.

Figure 5 shows the same as used in yoke-lifting.

The base or foundation upon which the lnechanism or apparatus used for lifting is placed, and to which it is connected, is a platform-scale, A, like those in ordinary use for weighing. The drawings show such a platformseale with a double scale-beam, a. a', one beam having an arm, a, with a sliding weight to balance the platform and scales. About centrally with respect to such platform A, and extending through but not touching the same, as shown in fig. 3, is an uprightstandard, B, which is supported from the frame or foundation C of the scale, or may be attached to any support on which the scale is placed. Such standard connects with the support C by a male and female screw, as shown in fig. 3, which permits thestandard to be raised or lowered at pleasure, so as te adapt it readily to individuals-of different statures. To such standard B is fixed, above the platform A, a curved or crescentshaped attachment, 6 to which connect the two handles b b, which may be fixed in one position, or be made to revolve.` The crescent o 6 springs from the standard at a distance of only a few inches above the platform, so as to be easily stepped over, and without disturbing the dress of ladies using the apparatus, and its sides or horns are sufficiently wide apa-rt to allow of persons easily standingr between the handles b b for the purpose of hand-lifting. Such standard, with its crescent and its handles, or their equivalent, constitute all the mechanism required, in combination with the platform-scale, for hand-lifting. The scale having been balanced by the weight on the arm a, the person, male or female, steps upon the platform and The platform and individual are then balanced by the poiseon the beam a', which also marke the weight ofthe person on the platform. The standardV und handles having been adjusted at the proper height, the handles are grasped, as shown in fig. 4, and the strength tested. The individual standing on the movable platform A which connects with the seale-bea1n a, but

lifting by the handles b against a fixed point, disconnected with the platform, produces a downward pressure on the platform, precisely as though a substance were being weighed, and the force which he expends will be indicated in pounds by the poise on the beam'a. There may also be connected with thc apparatus any signal as a bell, D, or a flag, which, as the beam rises, will be struck or elevated, and thus indicate to the person exercising, that he has lifted the weight assigned to him. In the arrangement shown in the drawings, as the beam rises, the cross-bar I presses against the arm 2, and brings the hammer 3 in contact with thc bell, and as the beam descends, the weight 4 drawsbaek the hammer, so as to be acted on by the next motion ofthe beam.

It will be observed that the position of the arms, while the individual is lifting, is natural, thus allowing not only the "easiest butthe fullest action to the muscles, and securing the best results therefrom. By the arrangement, also, of the crescent Z1 b, rising from thc standard B, near to' the surface of the platform, the apparatus is not alone copvenient for use by men, but ladies can avail themselves of it without any change in their dress, or without disturbing or disarranging the same.

Lifting-apparatus which are in use in some places are constructed with a standard and cross-bar, the latter of which is grasped by the hands in lifting; but such cross-bar' is necessarily high enough to be easily reached by the hands, and it is' so arranged as to pass between the lower extremities of the person lifting, one hand being thus thrown in front, and the other behind the body. Such position of the hands is not `natural,

and consequently the muscles cannot be exercised sofreely and efficiently as would be the ease ifV in a natural and unconstrained position. uSuch an apparatus, when used by women, requires also the putting on of a gymnastic dress,l and even then the posit-ion of the cross-bar renders its use unpleasant and inconvenient. These objections are whollyremedied by my apparatus,which enables all persons, ladies as 'well as gentlemen, and also children, to avail themselves of it without change of dress, and withoutrequiring any position ofthe person or of the limbs objectionable to the most sensitive and delicate individuals.

When the apparatus is to be used for yoke-lifting, a yoke, with its connections, such as is represented in fig. 2, is placed upon the shoulders of the person, connecting with the crescent or standard, and the lifting is from the shoulders, as seen in iig. 5. The yoke E consists of two small metallic plates, d cl, one for eachshoulder, which are curved or shaped so as to substantially correspond to the form of the shoulders, and are lined with felt or any soft material, so as to rest easily upon the shoulders without causing pain during the exercise of lifting. The metallic plates d el are connected together by an adjustable or sliding bar el', so that they canbe placed nearerto or further from each other, according to the breadth of the shoulders of different persons. Over each of the yoheplates is placedan elongated metallic ring, F, so shaped as not to bear upon 'or press against the person lifting. These are in contact with the upper side ofthe yolte-plates d d, and are prevented from slipping therefrom by the notched bar e or. such plates. Suitable chains, G, connect such rings with the crescent and standard B, fastening thereto by means of the hooked stem f projecting from the crescent. These chains are of equal length, and have a number oflinks, g g, of equal size, so that such chains can be equally lcngthcned or shortened. To render those chains less liable to unhooh from the stern f, they may be crossed, as shown in lig-s. 2 and 5. In yoke-lifting it is, however, desirable to have a rest for'the hands, or a support on which the hands can be pressed, and downward pressure exerted by them. This is secured by means of the side'standards H. H, which rise from the platform A, and. the hand-restsl I, the supportingwods of which slide within the standards Il, and are fastened as desired by a thumb-screw.l L, so that such hand-rests can ,be adjusted at different heights, according to different statures of individuals. The sliding parts of such hand-rests should be graduated, so that they can be readily lixed at the same height. At thev top of such hand-rests are two or three cross-bars, as seen in figs. l and 4, so that thc hand can be placed nearer to or further from the body, as desired.

As in the case of hand-lifting, as before described, the lifting by the yoke and shoulder is against or from the standard B, as a fixed point, and the`pressure, both by the feet andby the hands, is down upon the plat= form Apand the strength exercised or amount lifted is measured, as in the former case, by the poise ou the scale-beam. In lifting by the hand, the handles 1; b are placed at the side ofthe person, as shown'in fig. 4. In yoke-lifting, these handles may be placed in the same position, or in front of and behind the person, as shown in iig. 5. The latter position I deem preferable.

The mechanism or apparatus hereinbefore described, both for hand and yoke-lifting, may best. be combined with a platform-scalc, as described and illustrated, as such combination secures an apparatus, as a whole, the most complete and convenient. It will, however, be readily apparent that the adjustable crescent l b .for hand= lifting, and by means of which the strength can be exercised, with the arms in a natural position, can be attached to any suitable standard,` whether combined with a platform-scale or with any other base of support.` The yoke E and the connections may also be used in connection with any lifting-apparatus, and will be found highly convenient and easy in its action. v

Diiferently-arranged apparatus forhand or yoke-lifting than that particularly above-described, may also be combined with a platform-scale, securing the advantages of such a combination. The regular and systematic use of such an apparatus will not only greatly increase the strength .of the person so using it, but will at the same time invigorate the whole'systemand improve the general health. Every contraction of the muscles in lifting has the effect of sending the arterial blood more forcibly into them, and of determining the blood also in an increased quantity to the surface of the body and the extremities.' In this way,la better circulation is established, the blood is more thoroughly oxygenated, and the health and vitality of the system increased in just that proportion. v

y What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure bylretters Patent, is-

1. In combination with mechanism or apparatus adapted for hand or yoke=lifting, singly or together, the

use and application of o. platform-scale, operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The application and arrangement, in machines or apparatus for hand and yoke-lifting, of the crescent b b, or its equivalent, with suitable handles Z1 b', in combination with the standard B, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3.A So connecting such crescent ZJ Zi and its standard with any base or support, by a male and female screw, or thclr equivalent, that the crescent can be raised or lowered, for the purposes set forth. l l

4. The construction and arrangement of the adjustable yoke E, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In combination with such a yolte, or its equivalent, the arrangement of the ring F and variable chains G, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. Y

6. In combination with a yoke, E, for lifting, the arrangement ofthe adjustable hand-rests I I, substan tially as and. for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, with a platform-scale, of mechanism or apparatus for hand and yoke-lifting, singly or together, when constructed as described, and for the purposes set forth.

M. MATTSON. Witnesses:

S. D. Law, FRED. B. SEARS.' 

